1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement of a magnetic recording unit where such a recording medium as a disk is housed in a cartridge so as to attach to such an information equipment as a portable computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A card type magnetic recording unit, such as a PC card, is attached to portable information equipment, such as a portable compact computer, so that the portable information equipment reads information from the magnetic recording medium of the magnetic recording unit or writes information to the magnetic medium.
However, most of the card type magnetic recording units use a semiconductor memory for the recording medium, which is expensive and has small recording capacity.
To provide an inexpensive and portable recording unit, a card type recording unit, to which a cartridge housing a disk type recording medium is set, was developed so that the information stored on the recording medium (disk) is read by the head and is output to a computer or information from a computer is written to the disk by the head.
Such a magnetic recording unit, however, does not have a lid over a slot for inserting the cartridge housing the recording medium (disk). Therefore, a foreign substance enters into the magnetic recording unit through this slot, causing a functional failure to the card type magnetic recording unit.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic recording unit which does not allow a foreign substance to enter through the cartridge slot of the magnetic recording unit when the magnetic recording unit is not housing a cartridge.
To achieve the above object, a magnetic recording unit in accordance with the present invention comprises: a case body having a cartridge insertion slot so as to insert a cartridge housing a disk, which is a recording medium, to inside the case body through the cartridge insertion slot; and a disk drive motor for driving and rotating the disk, a head for recording or playing back information to/from this disk, and a head drive mechanism for driving the head, which are disposed inside the case body, wherein a lid body to close the cartridge insertion slot is disposed on the cases body or on a support element mounted to the case body at a location facing the cartridge insertion slot.
Since the lid body is disposed at the cartridge insertion slot of the magnetic recording unit, the present invention can prevent a foreign substance from entering the magnetic recording unit in a state when a cartridge is not loaded. As a consequence, a magnetic recording unit which has high reliability and good portability can be provided.
Also the lid body is structured so as to support the inner walls at the top and body of the case body, therefore deformation of the magnetic recording unit can be prevented even if an external force is exerted on the unit in the thickness direction, and as a result, a magnetic recording unit which has high safety can be provided.
Also a lid body housing section for housing the lid body is disposed, by which the top face of the lid body and the top face of the frame plate become on the same plane, therefore the cartridge is guided by the top face of the lid body and the top face of the frame plate, so that the cartridge is loaded smoothly into the unit.